Allocasuarina torulosa, the rose she-oak or forest oak, is a tree which grows in sub-rainforest (just outside the main forest area) of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.[3] There, it is typically found on coastal footslopes, hills, and plains.[4] Originally described as Casuarina torulosa by William Aiton, it was moved to its current genus in 1982 by Australian botanist Lawrie Johnson.[5] It is the type species of the genus Allocasuarina.
Allocasuarina torulosa | |
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Allocasuarina torulosa | |
Conservation status | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fagales |
Family: | Casuarinaceae |
Genus: | Allocasuarina |
Species: | A. torulosa |
Binomial name | |
Allocasuarina torulosa | |
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Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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A. torulosa is an evergreen tree that typically reaches 12-18 metres (40-60 feet) tall and 4.5-7.5 metres (15-25 feet) wide.[3] It appears to have needle-like leaves, but these are actually twigs; the real leaves are actually in the joint of the needles and appear in whorls of four.[6] These needles have a weeping, pendulous appearance, and turn reddish-brown in the winter.[7] The tree produces warty cones 15-33 millimeters long and 15-15 millimeters in diameter.[8] Its bark is thick and corky.[9]
The timber is reddish pink to brown.[10] It is prized by woodworkers and woodturners as a rare and exotic timber, often used in wood turnings, knife handles and other specialist items.[9] The rose she-oak has the largest contraction along the grain (12%) of any Australian wood and needs to be dried carefully to get full value as a useful timber.[11]
It grows from seed,[12] and cut or broken trees will often regenerate from the trunk.
This is a low-maintenance tree that will grow in a variety of soils and tolerate light frosts.[12] In the US, it is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 8–11. It may be susceptible to Armillaria and Phytophthora.[13]
The seeds have been found to be a food source for the Yellow-tailed black cockatoo.[4]
Taxon identifiers | |
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Allocasuarina torulosa |
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Casuarina torulosa |
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